A STUDY ON THE POPULATION SAMPLING OF OLIVE FRUIT FLY ADULT, BACTROCERA OLEAE GMELIN (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE), USING MCPHAIL TRAPS IN TAROM SOFLA REGION (IRAN)

The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae Gmelin (Diptera: Tephritidae), is one of the main olive pests in most of the world olive plantation zones including Iran. The pest’s larvae feeds upon fruit pericarp and causes premature fruit falling, oil quality reduction and rotting fruits by fungal pathogens penetrating into fruits through holes made by them. Being a newly exotic pest invading olive orchards in 2004, it was necessary to study sampling techniques of its population in order to develop a monitoring and pest management program for the fly. Therefore, 5 orchards were selected in Taraom Sofla, Qazvin province, with the following specifications of location, latitude, longitude and sea level, respectively: orchard A: Siahpoush village, 35°31’58”N; 40°62’59”W and 343 m above sea level, orchard B: Khandan Agro-industry Co., 34°98’26”N; 40°66’57”W and 298 m a.s.l., orchard C: Kallaj village, 36°42’33”N; 49°16’00”W and 418 m a.s.l., orchard D: Kallaj village, 36°42’36”N; 49°16’03”W and 405 m a.s.l. and orchard E: Kallaj village, 36°42’40”N; 49°16’01”W and 398 m a.s.l.. Thereafter, 3 McPhail traps were installed in each orchard. The number of male and female adults of olive fruit flies entrapped were counted and recorded weekly. The results showed that the density of the pest and its infestation intensity were significantly affected by time, direction and location of sampling. Similarly, 4 class of sampling were observed as general during the investigation.